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Top 5 Books I Read in 2020


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With the global pandemic dominating our lives in 2020, many (if not most) of us were cooped up at home either for work or for public safety measures. Being an extrovert myself, I found this past year to be difficult to find a rhythm to my day-to-day life, or have any sense of focus or direction with the uncertainty of the world around us. As difficult as the adjustment was, there were blessings within that chaos, and one thing that certainly stood out for me was the appreciation for the time that God gave me each day to spend in His Word and in His teaching. Without much of any travel or daily plans of meeting people to have to worry about, for the first season of my life as a pastor I had all the time in the world to study and read. Both of which are not a particular strong interest of mine nor a built habit. But with the time, I was able to dedicate myself to read some titles that I would like to share with you. I share this list hoping to inspire you to read as well. Not because it makes you smarter or because it is a classy exercise to engage with, but because it is good for your soul. Find a good book and spend some time in it. We may never have this much time to allocate to reading ever again. May you find this list helpful and inspiring. God bless.


(I have omitted commentaries and theological books that are more assistive to biblical studies. This is more of a general list for the general public that I hope will be accessible and readable for most of my audience).

Coronavirus and Christ. By John Piper.

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To be honest I wasn't expecting much with this book when it came out. It felt too "early" for a book like this but little did I know how much it would be needed. The title makes it clear what this book will be about, but it is vague in the area of how the "coronavirus" and "Christ" relate. This book teaches the fundamental reality for all believers, and unbelievers for that matter, that the one constant in the midst of all things is Christ. That He alone is the bedrock and foundation of all things, and that even in the midst of a global pandemic, no matter its result, that all believers can always hold on to this truth. We do not sway by the happenings of the world, but stay firm on Christ and His gospel. This is a book that teaches elementary principles to a church that perhaps needed to hear it at this time, and it is a book that teaches the sovereignty of God when our fears challenge our faith. I commend this book to you.


Praying With Paul. By D.A. Carson.

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I first heard of this book at the TGC National Conference in 2019. The book was unfortunately sold out at the book store so I made a note of it and ended up picking it up in March of 2020. This is a book for those, like me, who want to pray deeper. What I mean by deeper, is immersion in mind, heart and soul. This is not some new age mysticism or some ancient ascetic practice I am speaking of, but simple reading, study and understanding of God's Word; and allowing that truth to guide you in your prayer. Many times my prayers are utterances of phrases I've prayed before and mindless banter. But this book opened up a fresh new practice of prayer as Carson leads you day to day in a prayer along with Paul's prayers in His epistles. Get this book, and journey with it daily and pray deeper.


Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. By D.A. Carson.

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I was a bit of a sucker for D.A. Carson this year. Maybe it was the Canadian in me but if there is one "tear jerker" on this list, one book that tugs the heart the most, for me this is the one. As a pastor's kid myself, with a father who has ministered at the same church for his entire pastoral life in Canada, mainly to a small immigrant congregation. It would be an understatement to say that I resonated with this book. Carson's own father, a pastor himself, ministered in Quebec for a lifetime and dedicated himself to a small congregation with little to no public recognition and lived a humble quiet life dedicated to the Lord. In a world with the internet, celebrity pastors and the glamour of "being known," this is a counter cultural memoir that reminds all of us, pastors and laymen, that our service to the Lord is solely for the Lord and not for ourselves. What we gain here is but nothing in comparison to the treasures we store in heaven. Read. This. Book.


Does God Care How We Worship? By Ligon Duncan.

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This is a short and simple read, a manuscript of a sermon series that Dr. Duncan preached at Mark Dever's church on the topic of worship. This is a timely book in a season where the church is struggling to navigate what is acceptable and unacceptable in our worship of God. Certainly the Bible depicts the reality that some forms of worship or some ways of worshiping are simply unacceptable to the Lord. We may not be given a modern blueprint on exactly what worship is to look like, we are however given a biblical guideline and instruction on things to be careful of. Dr. Duncan does a fantastic job on teaching what is called the regulative principle in this book. This principle is simple: if we stick to what the Bible includes and says, then our worship is certainly acceptable, but anything beyond the Bible should be questioned. In modern times, with more and more modern and creative forms of worship popularizing across the global church, perhaps this is a book we all need to read to ground ourselves back to His Word and His guidance.


Knowing God. By J.I. Packer.

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In 2020 we lost a dear brother in Christ, the late J.I. Packer. His most prolific work and contribution to the church is this book: Knowing God. It is considered to be one of the most influential books in modern Christian history. It is not only a best seller, but it is a life changer. This is one of the books that drew me to the Reformed Tradition and classic Christian writings. This is the book that taught me to know God and to love that God that is made known to us. I re-read this book in light of the passing of Dr. Packer and I couldn't believe how well it was written. It still resonates today and this is just simply one of those books that you must read before you die. Do not do yourself a disservice and deprive yourself of the treasures of this book.


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